Sweet Potatoes

December 8, 2007 /

This sweet root can be much more than just a vehicle for mini marshmallows. Though it comes in dozens of varieties (which can range in color from white to pink to purple), two types of sweet potatoes are the most prominent in the United States. The light sweet potato has pale-yellow skin and flesh, and is not sweet at all. When cooked, it has a crumbly texture, similar to that of a white baking potato. The second, better-known, type of sweet potato is the orange-fleshed variety generally labeled “yam.” It has red skin and sweet flesh, and is particularly popular in the American South.

How to Use

Sweet potatoes can be mashed, roasted, baked, boiled, or sautéed, and can also be made into sweet-potato chips or fries.

How to Buy

Sweet potatoes are available year-round, and are at their peak during the winter. Choose small to medium sweet potatoes that are heavy for their size. Avoid any with bruises or signs of sprouting. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes should have uniformly colored skin. The skin of light sweet potatoes is naturally more mottled.

How to Store

Keep sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place for up to a week. Do not refrigerate (chilling can cause sweet potatoes to develop a permanently hard center).